


Defiance.

by theweakestthing



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Bickering, Coffee Shops, M/M, Prompt Fic, constant bickering, i love these two, no but it's an actual fic though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-26
Updated: 2014-08-26
Packaged: 2018-02-06 08:09:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1850752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theweakestthing/pseuds/theweakestthing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even lead decays, so it goes without saying that love will erode hate.</p><p>CoffeeShop AU!/College AU!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Opposition.

Jean Kirstein was singlehandedly the most stubborn, irritating asshole that Eren Jaeger had the misfortune of meeting . Worse still, Eren had to spend hours on end of his summer break with the damned bastard. Even worse, Eren was the kind of employee that was dedicated to excellent customer service and creating a great work environment, mostly because he was more than a little terrified of the manger, Levi, but Eren Jaeger never did anything half way; and Jean was the most laid back, sloppy and carefree douche that was really just there to make a bit of extra money on top of his student loans for partying. 

The Vanilla Bean House was a small kitsch cafe on the corner of the trendy college area of town. The manager, who also happened to be the owner, was infamous across campus for being the most terrifying man within a fifty mile radius. There were rumours going around that his glare could stop someone's heart, like Darth Vader's force choke or something; other rumours said that if anyone crossed him they would end up in pasties and endless drivel along those lines. 

Eren wasn't so sure about those things, but Levi had banned someone for life because they spilt black coffee all over the carpeted section of the floor and had fired the guy Jean replaced on the spot for doing a half assed job on cleaning the espresso machine. There had been various incidents where Levi had glared freaking shurikens at Eren for not calling the previous employees out on their shitty cleaning skills. 

So, Eren was beyond confused when Levi had introduced him to Jean as his new colleague. Eren already knew Jean, they'd known each other since elementary school and currently had European History and sociology classes together at college. They were sworn enemies, Jean was Eren's nemesis. He couldn't remember when or how it had started, but it only increased in intensity and violence as the years went on. 

Throughout the years Eren had learnt that Jean was consistently late for classes, always did projects the night before they were due, he was the 'life of the party', a playboy, washed his clothes once every two months when his mum came to collect them and despite all this he still got the exact same grades as Eren did. When Levi had made them shake hands because the guy is at least 50% evil, Eren had all but burst a blood vessel at the smug self satisfied grin not a meter from his face. 

Their shifts consisted of Jean half assing everything and Eren constantly cleaning up after him. He would admit that Jean's employment might have in some small way contributed to the growth in popularity that the cafe had recently experienced, but he'd never say it out loud. 

That day was hot as all hell, it was lunch time, the cafe was two thirds full and Jean was holding up the queue trying to hit on Eren's sister, Mikasa, who in turn was lecturing Eren about putting her red scarf in the white wash. He was about ready for the ground to open up beneath him and swallow him whole. 

"It's your fault for entrusting me with the sacred act of washing your clothes, I take no responsibility and Levi will kill me if you don't get out of the way, you're holding up the queue," Eren gestured behind Mikasa.

"You're brother's a ingrate, so little respect for the wonderful woman that supports him," Jean tutted leaning on his elbows over the counter. Eren groaned dragging his hand over his face. 

"Whatever, I'm sorry I ruined all of our shirts and socks could you please let me get on with my job before my untimely execution, please," Eren held his hands together pleadingly in front of Mikasa's face. 

"Okay, but you better remember next time," Mikasa thrust her finger into Eren's chest before turning to leave. 

"Bye Mikasa," Jean waved his fingers at her back as Eren began to serve a customer, apologising for the wait. 

"Stop being a creep and actually do your job for once, jeez," Eren grumbled working the coffee machine.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jean said as he shamelessly watched Mikasa leave. Eren kicked Jean in the shin as he brought the customer their order. 

~~~

The flow of customers had slowed as the day grew darker, Eren was sweeping and stacking the chairs as Jean leaned carelessly against the counter.

"Hey Jaeger," Jean called, examining his nails, "do you ever relax," that was definitely an insult. 

"Would you just shut up and help me," Eren stopped his movements, putting a hand on his hip. 

"And why would I do that?" Jean said absently kicking his boot against the tiles. 

"I know this concept is going to blow you equine mind, but if you helped me we'd actually get out of here on time for once," Eren yelled dropping the broom to the floor with a loud clack. 

"Chillax Jaeger, don't have a nosebleed," Jean droned, Eren noticed that the stupid flannel shirt Jean wore was coming apart at seams and it only irritated him more. 

Eren stomped over to Jean and punched him square in the face. The force of it barely moved the taller, but did at least make his nose bleed. Jean wiped the blood away with the sleeve of his shitty shirt, the sight only served to make Eren angrier. 

"Could you stop being an asshole for like five minutes," Eren exploded, gripping Jean's collar in his fist. 

"How about this for help" Jean promptly headbutted Eren, the crack of Eren's nose echoed in the almost empty shop. 

They glared at each other, Eren pinching his nose whilst Jean had already stuffed tissues up his. Eren lifted his leg to kick Jean in the stomach, Jean raised his fist to crack Eren across the jaw. Nothing connected and their limbs were caught in the air, they both turned to their right with a faint look of horror on their faces. 

"If you're gonna act like animals I'll take you two brats to the zoo," Levi's flat voice cut through the atmosphere like a katana. 

"S-sorry Levi, it won't happen again," Eren's voice went two octaves higher and if Jean weren't on the verge of shitting his pants he'd have laughed at the idiot.

"That's an outright lie," Levi's brows knitted together, "could you at least temper your testosterone until you're out of my cafe, you little shits?" The grip on their limbs tightened before Levi dropped them. "Get out of my sight," he seethed. 

Eren and Jean scrambled to the door, slapping each other and mumbling curses as they tried to get through the door at the same time. Levi kicked the both of them through the entrance, they fell flat on their asses. 

"Get it together shittards," Levi shouted from the doorway, "I'll see you tomorrow," he slammed the door, the glass rattled dangerously in the frame. 

~~~

Eren spent the night scowling at his ceiling fan, thinking about all the things that Jean did that annoyed him. 

_Fuck Jean fucking Kirstein and his fucking Greek God horseface, his fucking stupidly slender and pale fingers that were perfect for playing the piano. Fuck his shitty clear skin, I bet he's never had a spot in his life. His fucking easy going demeanour, constant slacking, how the fuck does that idiot get the same grades as me, it's a crime against humanity. Jean fucking Kirstein is a crime against humanity._

Eren groaned loudly, throwing the covers over his head.


	2. Awkward.

Eren's phone was rumbling across his bed on its way to his face, he blearily opened his eyes as the phone rubbed against his nose. 

"What," he droned an answer to the call. 

"And a good morning to you too Eren," Armin replied in slight indignation. Eren looked at his digital alarm clock on the bedside table, it was six am.

"It's too early for polite greetings," Eren's throat was dry and his breath tasted like crap. "What's up bro," he sat up and observed the state of his room, he couldn't remember the last time he was up before nine. 

"I've been invited to a party and you need come with me, I can't do this on my own, Eren. Eren!" Armin's voice wavered hysterically, Eren held the phone slightly away from his ear.

"Calm down Armin, it's too early for your social interaction freak outs," Eren said carefully, "breathe," he said, Armin breathed audibly. "Okay so who invited you to what now?" Eren decided since he was up he might as well get up and began to hunt for a matching pair of socks. 

"Well, you remember that guy that checks out practically fifty books a week and is totally beyond handsome?" Armin worked part time at the college library and had been drooling over some random stranger for weeks. 

"The one with the rock hard abs that you saw by accident and basically creamed yourself at the sight?" Eren grinned wickedly to himself. 

"Eren!" Armin scolded and sighed. "Yes, the guy with the abs and awful dress sense and vocabulary," Armin sounded at the end of his rope.

"Yeah, I remember you mentioning him like," Eren paused for effect, "all the goddamned time, what about him," Eren held the phone between his shoulder and cheek as he pulled his socks on. 

"He invited me to a party on Saturday, he even gave me his number," Armin took a deep breath, "he gave me his number Eren," he sounded panicked. 

"Okay, okay, I'm totally free and I'll drag Mikasa along," Eren drawled as he stretched standing up straight. 

"Thank you Eren, I'll buy you a muffin," Armin relaxed, Eren combed his floor for clean pair of pants. 

"I'm always here for moral support, you don't need buy my love Armin," he laughed and decided that it was about time to clean his room as he stepped on a plate jam toast. 

~~~

Eren was sure that Jean existed solely to test his patience, which he had very little of to being with.

"Have you thought about going to anger management or something?" Jean mumbled during a lull in customers. 

"Would ya give it a rest Jean," Eren groaned wiping down the counter with a crisp tea towel. 

"Hey, I'm just trying to give you some genuine advice," Jean leaned against the counter, putting his hand on the exact spot that Eren was about to wipe. "It's not healthy to have so much pent up anger, you'll get stomach ulcers or pop a blood vessel," Jean continued, Eren just kept his eyes on the counter.

"Wow Jean, I didn't know you cared," he said sarcastically, busying himself with the display of chocolates in front of the register. 

"Oh c'mon Jaeger, you've known me longer than anyone, you should know that I'm a helpful guy," Jean grinned at Eren the most shit eating grin Eren had ever seen. Eren counted backward from twenty before stomping all of his weight onto Jean's left foot. 

~~~

"Tonight's the night, tonight's the night where I die of embarrassment," Armin shifted nervously in Eren's hallway. 

"C'mon, it's not going to be that bad," Eren sighed as he adjusted his jacket and patted himself down for his keys. 

"If it turns out that bad, I'll beat him so bad he won't even remember you," Mikasa said flatly kneeling down to tie her boots. 

"This is going to be the end of me, this is social suicide," Armin put his head in his hands. 

"Don't be so melodramatic," Mikasa clapped him on the back and made for the door. 

~~~

The night was cool with a light breeze, Eren turned up his collar against the cold air. The group's shoes slapped against the damp concrete, the sky shone cloudlessly on that summer night. 

As they continued to draw closer and closer to their destination, it slowly dawned on Eren that he knew this street, he knew the house they were approaching. It was Jean's house. 

"Goddammit Armin," Eren yelled, shaking the smaller by the lapels of his blazer, "you knew! You knew! You cheated me Armin, I thought you loved me! Armin!" He was practically screaming on a residential road, down someone's path. 

"Jeez Jaeger, do you even know how to be quiet?" Jean leaned lazily against the alcove smirking almost seductively, which was exactly not what Eren was thinking at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been talking to this guy that makes me really angry so I've got inspiration, I'll be having inspiration for days. He makes me so angry I could punch puppies.


	3. Catalyst.

Eren wanted to melt into the sticky carpet like the wicked witch of the west, he wouldn't scream, he'd laugh hysterically. 

Mikasa had vowed to stick by his side, which was the complete opposite of what Eren wanted because that meant Jean would be sticking right by his side with her. Jean was so blatantly flirting with Mikasa and she was so blatantly ignoring him that it was painful, Eren decided to drown his sorrows. 

Armin had disappeared the second they had entered the house, Eren occasionally eyed the riving crowd for the familiar mop of blond hair. He caught sight of it every now and then, but Mikasa would ask him something and he'd look back and Armin would be gone again. 

"I thought we were here for moral support," Eren seethed quietly to Mikasa, she outright ignored him.

"Do you want another drink Eren?" She asked instead, eyeing the emptiness of his plastic cup. Mikasa left before Eren or Jean could make a fuss about it or even follow her, Eren groaned internally. It was all so bloody clichéd, red plastic cups, people making out in every available space, he could hear someone puking during the break between songs, the music was way too loud, he didn't really know any of the people there. 

"So..." Jean breathed right into his ear, making Eren jump out of his skin, "why did you really come here?" Jean's breath was hot and made Eren's skin crawl.

"Armin asked me to," Eren growled staring daggers at the taller. 

"Sure," Jean drew out with a roll of his eyes and moved further into Eren's personal space. 

"Yes, sure," he said firmly, his brows came together in that trade mark expression. 

"Really?" Jean quirked his brow, leaning over Eren and bracing his arm against the wall. Eren watched that arm press against the space above his head, making him lean fully against said wall. 

"Really," Eren said deathly serious, Jean's face was about nine inches away from his own. 

"Re-" Jean was cut off from speaking and moving forward by Eren spitting over his face. They stood there blinking at each other for several seconds, Eren waited for Jean to make his move and Jean waited for the world to come back up to speed with him. 

Before either of them could do much of anything, Mikasa had thrust another cup into Eren's hand and slapped a napkin over Jean's face. 

"Are you two capable of having a conversation that doesn't dissolve into mindless juvenile violence?" Said Mikasa with an entirely bored tone. 

"He started it," Eren and Jean yelled in unison, Mikasa rolled her eyes at the sheer idiocy. She sighed and left them to their own devices, easily slipping into the crowd before Eren could grab her. 

Eren took one look at Jean, who was eyeing him weirdly, and necked the drink in his hand. The liquid burned his throat, sent fire through his veins. Jean was staring at him far too much and far too intense, was he trying to start a fight? That stupid perfectly sculpted pathetic marble face stared down at him like some fucking divine vision. 

"I thought drink would be a pretty good catalyst, but you seem to be fighting it real hard," Jean huffed into Eren's ear again making the smaller shiver, Eren pretended it was with disgust. He turned toward the offending presence and could see Jean's thick column of neck, all he could think of was sinking his teeth into it. 

"Shut up and get me another drink, asshole," Eren barked, crumpled his cup and threw it on the floor. 

"Yes your majesty," Jean bowed with that smirk plastered over his face that made Eren smell copper in the air. The taller took Eren by the wrist and dragged him toward the relatively empty kitchen. "What's your poison?" Jean quirked his brow and Eren saw flashes of himself smashing Jean's face into the fridge. 

"Stop being such a pretentious hipster douche bag and pour me a fucking beer," Eren grumbled barely loud enough to be heard and crossed his arms over his chest. 

"I will when you stop being such a juvenile pent up aggressive passive aggressive asswipe," Jean said condescendingly as he held out a cup toward Eren. 

"Whatever asshole," Eren snatched the cup from Jean, his fingers caught against Jean's annoying perfect twaty fingers and it sent electric butterflies up Eren's arm. He hid the not at all there blush by taking a long and drawn out sip of his fiery drink. 

"Ya know, Mikasa is right," Jean hoisted himself up onto the kitchen counter, Eren hardly raised a brow. "This rivalry is elementary," he said voice full of prose. 

"That's because it started in elementary," Eren spat leaning against the dining table, directly opposite from Jean. The taller burst into a loud fit of laughter that Eren did not at all find endearing, it was just the only thing that wasn't horribly irritating about the other. 

"You really are one of a kind Jaeger," Jean smiled wiping a tear from his eye with the back of his hand. 

"Well," Eren shifted uncomfortably, hating the way Jean was so intently watching him, "I'm sure that there's like a billion and one pricks like y-" he was cut off from staring holes into his shoes by sticky lips covering his own. 

Unlike every girl in those stupid teen dramas, Eren did not close his eyes and looked on with horror at Jean's dumb scrunched up kissy face. Eren bit Jean's lip, but it only served to spur the taller on as his fingers slid into Eren's unruly brown locks. Jean began to move his move against the fucking stone wall that was Eren and his mouth. 

A swift hand took the cup from Eren's own, placed on the dining table and came to rest on Eren's hip. Every place that Jean was touching Eren felt like it was on fire, like those parts were touching the sun. That heat began to slowly move through Eren's body, melting away his resistance and all lines of defence. He was only mildly horrified as he noticed his eye beginning to close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuation of my life drama, douche throwing excuses at me about his shitty sob story as though I'm supposed to give a shit. Boo fucking hoo, get over yourself. Also, the weirdest and most vague declaration of love I've ever....it was like wow. 
> 
> Btw this is the stupidest, silly, trashy, fun thing I've ever written and it's running away from me and I don't really mind. I'll let it carve its own path.


	4. Endeavor.

Eren swore it was the drink, it had to be, what the hell else could it be? It couldn't have been the glossy shine of Jean's lips or the way his sharp eyes sparkled in the shitty kitchen fluorescents, definitely could not have been that self-satisfied smirk or his all round chiselled features. Eren was just not attracted to Jean at all, no sir, so it had to be the drink there was no other answer. 

Eren's head began to feel all kinds of fuzzy as the soft press of lips against his continued, his head buzzed with an overload of sensation, even more so since he had his eyes closed. Jean tasted sweet like sticky candy and alcohol, Eren noted as the other started to pull back. 

Jean rested his forehead against Eren's and stared lazily into those dark ocean eyes, Eren dumbly stared back. Hot drunken breath breezed over Eren's lips making him shudder, Jean's hands came to rest on his shoulders. 

_I just got kissed by Jean fucking Kirstein and I kissed him back._

The thought hit Eren like a bucket of ice water. He slammed his palms hard against Jean's shoulders, sending the other boy flying into the counter with a grunt. Eren began to breathe heavily through his nose, chest heaving up and down, his brows knitted together in that trademark look of his that almost always preceded a fight. 

"The fuck was that for?!" Jean spat as he leant against the counter for support. 

Eren just looked at the taller in disgust, he'd let fucking horsey Mc. Horseface suck on his face. The thought churned his stomach, it might have also been the combination of the large amount of alcohol he'd consumed in such a short time combined with the recent physical exertion. He turned on his heels and headed for the sink, he promptly threw up into the sink, the noise made Jean wince. 

"Jeez, you're a lightweight," Jean moaned from behind Eren, examining the damage the shorter had done. 

"Jeez, you're an asshole," Eren whined mournfully as he ran the tap and watched the remains of his dinner slide away, the acid burnt his throat. 

"And exactly how am I an asshole this time? Please elaborate," Jean's hands made a flourish of gestures that only served to further piss Eren off. 

"You assaulted me with your face," Eren said as he slowly turned around to face Jean. 

"You are the most irritating person I have ever had the misfortune of meeting," said Jean, tone deathly serious. 

"I feel the exact same way," Eren cracked a particularly sarcastic smile.

"How have I not gotten rid of you from my life? It fucking baffles me," Jean wrung his hands, a slight hint of venom coated his words. 

"Maybe it's because you've following me around my entire fucking life," Eren said through gritted teeth, knuckles going white as he gripped the countertop. 

"Who the fuck would want to follow you, it's obvious that you've been following me," Jean's mouth began to twist into a snarl, he fisted his hands at his sides. 

"In your fucking dreams Kirstein, I bet you've dreaming about rubbing those horsey lips on my innocent face for years," Eren smirked widely as he leaned back against the counter. 

"I'm gonna wipe that fucking smirk off your fucking stupid face Jaeger," Jean growled and drew closer, he stepped on Eren's foot causing the shorter to yell out in pain. 

Eren's mind was completely filled with _ow my foot hurts,_ which made him unable to predict Jean's next move. Suddenly Jean was on and around him, tongue right down his throat. His eyes flew wide open in surprise, a strange heady scent that he'd never smelt before drifted up his nose, it was intoxicating.

Eren was vaguely aware that the smell had to be Jean's natural smell plus alcohol, to his surprise he found that he didn't hate it, which in turn made him hate it all lot. Everything that he liked about Jean made him hate Jean more, his long finger, his amber eyes, his long strong nose, his firm lips and now his scent. It all grated against Eren's sensibilities, there should be absolutely fucking nothing to like about Jean in his opinion, nothing at all. So everything that he found agreeable made him sick, made him hate the other more because he wasn't allowed to do or have things that Eren liked, that was just plain wrong. 

He had no idea when Jean had lifted him onto the dining table or even if it had been Jean at all. His legs were wrapped around the other's waist and his fingers twisted in the collar of Jean's douchey polo shirt. Anything to have the other closer, he thought, he just needed more, he just needed to be closer. 

~~~

"Right, so that's phase one of operation Horse Mount done," said Marco cheekily as he sneaked a look around the kitchen doorframe.

"That's such a stupid name," Armin groaned, he'd gotten enough of an eye full for the rest of his life the first time, he was definitely not looking again. Mikasa just nodded in agreement to Armin's statement. 

"My idea, I get to name it," Marco stuck his tongue out at Armin before turning back to gawk some more. Mikasa yanked him back by the collar of his shirt harshly. 

"That's enough ogling," she said flatly, but her eyes spoke of nine levels of hell's worth of pain. 

"Alright alright," Marco held his hands up and smiled sheepishly, "let's leave the happy couple alone," he grinned before secretly taken one last peek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Funny story, once when I was seventeen I went to this venue and had a fair amount to drink. So I was talking on the stairs with this guy and mid sentence threw up over myself and him, we go wash off in the toilets and about ten minutes later we're making out. Weird. 
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway....
> 
>  
> 
> I have a full time job now, 30 hours a week, so I'll only be able to get two chapters out a week at max. Thanks for your patience.


	5. River.

Eren woke groggily in an unfamiliar bed with a fuzzy head. Every motion made it feel as though his brain were spinning on an axis and grating against the inside of his skull. He turned onto his side and had to bite back a scream at the sight before him, he was in bed with Jean. Jean's chiselled sleeping face lay softly upon the pillow, air puffed from slightly parted pink lips. 

In a super human feat that even Eren himself isn't sure exactly how he did it, from his record of events he did some sort of back flip, from sheer fear adrenaline, and landed on his feet. Eren looked around and was kinda bummed that no one was there to witness the sick move he had just pulled, he instantly took the wish back when he realised he was in stark butt naked. 

Eren scrambled like a madman to find his clothes and peg it out of the room, silently. He hopped about the room comically trying to pull up one of his socks and clattered to the ground in a heap of twisted limbs. He instantly sat bolt upright, eyes darted toward the bed and the slumbering Greek horse God. Jean snorted, shifted and settled allowing Eren to release the breath he didn't know he was holding. 

With enough clothes on to not be arrested, Eren fumbled around for his other belongs, keys, wallet and the like. He tip-toes toward the door and closes it softly behind him, the journey from beyond that hellish bedroom door to his own home is a blur.

When he sees his friends, Eren swerves and deflects from their conversation getting anywhere near the happens of that one fateful night. There's a constant mantra that runs through Eren's head every time that thoughts of that night come to mind. 

_Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened. Nothing happened._

He was practically pulling his hair out at the effort he took to deny that any sort of event happened, Eren was going loopy. When he looked in the mirror, there were totally not any hickeys or bruises or scratch marks gracing his skin; there were absolutely no girlish screams heard from Eren's bathroom, a twisted cry of scorn. Eren did not at all remember kissing Jean, the feel of their lips pressed together, the feel of Jean's tongue sliding over his, slender fingers tracing his skin

~~~

The dreaded day was finally upon him, the weekend was over and he had to go back work. Eren skulked toward the coffee shop, turning to look behind him every so often. He was certain that there little demons following him, snickering at his slow and painful demise or maybe it had just been the way that Mikasa and Armin had looked at him the morning after that night. 

The bell above the door chimed as Eren entered the shop, the aroma drifted up his nose and served to relax his nerves. _Maybe today won't be so bad_ , he thought as he heard the usual hustle and bustle of a rather trendy cafe. 

"What's up shit face?" Jean sharp voice cut through Eren's hopeful mood and severed his nerves like the well aimed bolt of a crossbow. 

"Well, I was having the nicest day, really it was the perfect day," Eren said voice snarky and mouth twisted in a faint snarl, "but now I've been forced to be in the presence of some half man half horse creature and frankly I think it's terrifying the patrons," he pouted lightly and pressed his hand to his heart in a condescending gesture as he neared the counter. 

"Babe, I'm the main attraction of this shit show," Jean quirked his brow suggestively, he leaned over the counter and rested his face in the palm of his hand. Eren's stomach flipped at the sight of that sharp gleam to those amber eyes. 

The day went on much the same as all the others, much to Eren's relief. As they cleared the shop at the end of their shift, Jean stilled and propped his elbow upon his broom. 

"Yo Jaeger, do you remember anything from the other night?" Voice steady and firm like the constant beat of a drum. Eren's flinched as though he'd been slapped. "Yeah, I thought so," Jean said bitterly as he shook his head in disbelief. 

"You thought what?" Eren spat, mouth faintly twisting. 

"Thought that you'd be riding the speed boat of denial up the Nile," Jean stated flatly with a shrug of his shoulders. Eren's face went slack as a flash of fantasy crossed his mind, a fantasy of stabbing Jean in the gut with a broken broom. 

"What am I supposed to be in denial about exactly?" Eren snarked leaning back against one of the tables. 

"You," Jean pointed toward Eren, "me," then pointed toward himself, "doing the hokey cokey in my bed," he smirked to himself. 

"The hokey cokey?" Eren said incredulously. 

"You know what I mean," Jean sighed. 

"I have absolutely no fucking idea what you are talking," Eren shook his head vigorously.

"Thought you might say that so I brought these," Jean said as he pulled some fabric from his pocket. Eren's eyes went wide and his mouth flew open. 

Jean had produced Eren's boxers from his pocket, Eren could hear his heart pounding and the rush of blood flowing throw his panicked body. 

Flash backs came to Eren like a shitty CCTV camera, in black and white, photographs taken seconds apart. He had remembered kissing Jean like twice or so, but the rest was new to him. The somewhat dry humping on the kitchen counter, the groping on the stairs, the minding numbing blow job as he was pressed harshly against the bedroom door and the naked formless motions of seemingly one being on Jean's stupidly creaky bed.

Eren sighed heavily.

"No way, no fucking way," Eren shook his hands out in front of him and his head.

"Yes way," Jean said viscously as he dangled the underwear in Eren's startled face. 

"No Jean, no," Eren gripped Jean by the front of his shirt, "it never happened, I have no fucking idea what you're talking about, nothing fucking happened, I've never been to your house, fuck you," he pushed Jean back with all his force, yelling whilst wringing his hands. "Don't forget to lock up," Eren barked as he snatched his boxers from Jean's grasp and stormed out of the shop with an almost glass shattering slam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started writing this at the beginning of the week but it's been so hot here that I can barely stand so here's the notes I wrote before I gave up and started playing Dark Souls 2.
> 
> EREN RUNS AWAY AND RUNS AWAY HARD, DID THEY DIDN'T THEY THING GOING ON WITH A THEY TOTALLY DID PAY OFF AT THE END.   
> EREN SEES THAT HE IS IN BED WITH JEAN  
> SCRAMBLES  
> INSPECTS HIMSELF IN HIS OWN MIRROR HICKEYS  
> PAINED SCREAMS  
> YO JAEGER WE TOTALLY DID, NO HORSEFACE WE TOTALLY DIDN'T   
> HORRIBLE FLASH BACKS TO A SEX TIME  
> WOOOOOO LET'S RIDE THE DINAL BOAT UP THE NILE  
> MY BRAIN IS MELTING.


	6. Revelation.

Eren paced around his living room, wearing the carpet thin with his sock covered feet. His fingers curled into his hair and his teeth worried his already chapped lips, brows deeply furrowed together. 

_No, no, no, no, no, fuck no. I hate Jean, I have always hated Jean, he's my mortal enemy, he's my fucking nemesis. I did not sleep with him, I've never even kissed that equine mother fucker._

He groaned loudly and bashed his head against the wall, fingers scraping along the wallpaper. He didn't hear the keys turning in the lock or the creaked opening and closing of the door.

"Eren, what the hell are you doing?" Armin exclaimed, startled at the sight. 

"Do you know if it's possible to actually knock memories out of your head?" Eren questioned melodramatically. 

"What are you talking about Eren," Armin raised an incredulous brow.

"Never mind," Eren waved Armin off, "did you hit it up with that library hunk?" he moved away from the wall and plopped down upon the couch. 

"Um," Armin shifted jostled his weight and rang a hand through his hair, "h-he wasn't actually there," his lip quivered in that telltale way that it did when Armin was carry a guilt that amounted to the weight of the Earth. 

"And why wasn't he there if he invited you Armin?" Eren scrutinised Armin and raised an inquisitive brow. 

"Er," Armin shifted his eyes around the room, looking anywhere but directly at Eren. 

"Spit it out Armin," Eren flailed dramatically, Armin scrunched up his face in defiance. "Spit. It. Out. Armin." Eren shook Armin by the shoulders. 

"Stop it, stop it!" Armin squealed, "Alright I'll spill, just stop shaking me, I'm gonna throw up!" As soon as Eren let go of him, Armin doubled over coughing. 

"Well?" Eren stood quirking a brow with his hands on his hips. 

"At least wait for me to die asswipe," Armin said between pants, hands braced on his knees. He coughed a bit more before straightening up, all the while Eren was staring at him with fierce eyes. "Dude, I didn't kill your dog quit it with the murder eyes," he said flatly as he settled on the couch. 

"Just get to the point butt munch," Eren whined, Armin rolled his eyes.

"Alright, you're not gonna like it though," Armin warned, Eren wound his finger in the air, "fine," Armin sighed. "Although the guy actually exists, but the whole him talking to me never happened, it was all an elaborate ruse," he stated simply. 

"For what purpose?" Eren stroked his chin, listening intently. 

"To get you and Jean alone," Armin winced pre-emptively expecting Eren to inflict some sort of pain upon him. 

"I see," Eren stated. Armin sneaked a look at him, uncurling his body to find Eren's eye twitching like crazy. "And whose idea was this?" Eren was straining to keep his voice level. 

"Marco's?" Armin didn't mean to add the inflection but he couldn't stand being interrogated like this. He sighed, this would get them nowhere. "Look, it's super obvious to everyone that isn't you Eren," he all but groaned. 

"What's obvious!" Eren screeched, voice going a couple octaves higher than usual. Armin gave him an incredulous look. 

"Liking Jean is not, in fact, the worst thing in the world," Armin said sternly, completely fed up with Eren's shit. "And the fact that you guys got freaking is actually a good because the tension was killing every- you're not even listening to me are you?" he seethed, Eren had stuck his fingers in his ears.

"La la la la, I can't hear you," Eren sang, Armin tore his fingers from his ears and stared him straight into the eyeballs. 

"You had intercourse with Jean and it's ok because you two actually like each other," Armin said firmly and slowly as though he were talking to an infant. Eren made some pained sounds whilst grimacing. "No, Eren you have to get your head out of the sound and smell the roses," he barked. "You like Jean and he likes you and _everyone_ knows it," he said just below a yell and his grip turned painful. 

"No," Eren shook his head.

"Yes, even Mikasa knows, she was in on the operation," Armin shook Eren's wrists. 

"No," Eren began to pout as he continued to shake his head. 

"Yes the entire campus is aware, Eren you're painfully obvious it hurts everyone to watch you guys interact because you're always cock-blocking yourself," Armin stated throwing Eren's wrists away. 

"N-" Eren's whining was cut off by Armin's blunt words. 

"You were sucking his face for like two hours, I know you remember, just take a second to think about your real feelings for more than like two seconds, ugh!" Armin shook his open hands in the air. 

Those words cut through Eren and he actually thought about how he felt about Jean. Considered how the other was almost always the last thing he thought about at night, how he obsessed over certain parts of Jean's body, like those fingers, that jaw line, those dreamy piercing eyes, their constant banter, the feel of those finger curled around his chin, those strong thin lips smoothed against his. Eren's eyes shot wide open, his blood ran cold. 

"I like Jean," he sobbed melodramatically into his palms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so dumb, these two are so dumb I love them.


	7. Together.

Eren stood awkwardly outside one of the lecture halls, he kept checking his watch. The fact that he had committed Jean's schedule to memory almost didn't irritate him, he's come to realise that he's a pathetic shadow of man and that's why he won't run away now.

"Jaeger," that familiar smarmy voice speaks right into Eren's ear as an arm comes to drape over his shoulder. "Waiting for someone?" Jean quirked a brow looking down at Eren. 

"No, asswipe," Eren pouted and it's all so stupid because he obviously is. He heaves a great a sigh, it really is now or never. "C-can we talk, somewhere?" He asked quietly, stepping backward out of Jean's embrace. Jean's lips pressed together as though he's about burst into laughter, he did. Eren stood there, face twisted in a grimace, not really sure what to do with himself. 

"Finally worked up the courage to talk to me?" Jean smirked standing up straight.

Eren's fist connected with Jean's face, the latter didn't go down but it sure did smart. Eren just stared at Jean cup his face for a long moment before running, he wasn't sure where but just away. Jean called after him, but Eren was damn sure not going to listen to someone so fucking full of themselves. 

He sprinted across the campus and straight into the library, Eren braced his palms on his thighs in the entrance, panting hard. Armin was, as usual, standing at the information desk, Eren spared him a glare and stomped off into the nature section. 

Eren pulled out a large picture book on rainforests and leafed through at one of the study tables, nature always calmed him down. 

The book came shut on top of his hand and Eren gave a sharp cry, a series of shushes followed in reply. Eren scowled as he looked up at Jean and removed his hand from between the book. 

"What is your fucking problem?" Eren whisper yelled, cupping his hand in the other. 

"You, you idiot," Jean mimicked Eren's tone before taking a seat. 

"What the fuck do you think you're doing," it's too fast, Jean needs to go away, Eren hasn't had time to think, hasn't gotten himself back together.

"Just shut up and listen," Jean said sternly as he leaned over the table, "get the fuck over yourself," he punctuated every syllable with a thrust of his outstretched finger towards Eren. 

"Maybe I would if you'd stop being such an asshole," Eren's brows knit together as he too leaned over the table. 

"Maybe I wouldn't be such an asshole if you'd just admit that you like me instead of constantly stringing me along," Jean growled. 

"Stringing you along?" Eren's brows shot into his hair as his mouth twisted in horror, "how the fuck have I been stringing you along?" Venom seeped into his words.

"You're all hot and cold Jaeger," Jean fanned his hand in the air, "one minute we're at each other's throats and then you're getting cosy with me, and it wasn't just that night and you know it," he said pointedly. 

"Then what other times Jean, I don't feel like I've been giving you mixed signals," Eren spat, fingers scraping against the hardback of the book. 

"You stare at me all the time and in really specific places, like my jaw or my nose or my hands. You're a fair bit starey Jaeger," Jean's smug smile returned, he spoke fondly. 

"N-no I don't," Eren stammered as warmth spread over the bridge of his nose. 

"And there it is again, the bane of my existence," Jean sighed as he rested his chin on the palm of his hand. 

"And what would that be?" Eren seethed. 

"You're fucking kneejerk denial of anything that you're embarrassed about, what are you, twelve?" Jean bit back, teeth gnashing as he spoke. 

"I'm not in denial, I'm just coming to terms with the fact that I'm attracted to someone so fucking equine and bruh and the exact opposite of what I should find attractive," Eren stood, face fully flushed and trudged off to return the book to its place.

"And you're running away again," Jean whisper-yelled hot on Eren's heels. 

"Yeah and rightfully so, fucking denim retard," Eren forcefully shoved the book back into place. "I'm sick of the constant bullshit," his lips pulled back over his teeth. After a long moment of staring each other down, Jean sighed and began to run the back of his head. 

"Fine, no more bullshit," Jean braced his hands either side of Eren's head, "I like you, you erratic, melodramatic, contrary, pedantic, suicidal, headstrong idiot, I like you a lot," he leaned over Eren, using the extra two inches he had on the other to cow him against the bookshelf. "I like your stupidly soft chocolate brown hair, those annoying green-blue eyes, your irritating lips, your blind steadfast defiance and most of all that ever burning fire in your heart that makes you constantly do stupid shit," Jean took Eren's chin in his fingers, tilted it up and delved down. 

The pressure was an intense heat that pushed Eren down and made him feel small, made the entire affair feel insignificant against the feelings weighing down upon him then. Eren's resolve began to crack and shatter like eggshells as his hands came up to twist in the front of Jean's douchey tie-dye tanktop. Jean pulled back slowly, every removal of a point of contact sparked with static electricity. Eren was leaning heavily against the bookcase, sliding down as he forgot about his legs. He looked up into Jean's heavy gaze, his heart jumped into his throat. 

"I like you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never had any idea what the hell I was doing with this so I'm just gonna end it here.


End file.
